It’s that time of the year when countless music festivals take place throughout the country: from Boomtown Fair in Winchester to the famous Fusion Festival in Liverpool, the UK hosts over 75 music festivals in August alone. These events involve staying out in the elements all day, squishing into large crowds, dancing and sweating with limited access to a sink or shower, and camping out in a tent or under the stars.
With exposure to dirt and UV, your skin will likely take a beating. Here’s how you can keep it happy and healthy throughout your favourite festival.
Skip retinol and acid-based skincare products
Dermatologists suggest ditching your skin products with retinoids, retinols, glycolic acid and lactic acid a week before attending the festival. These chemicals make you more sensitive to sunburn. You can resume using these skincare products after the festival.
Don’t skimp on the sunscreen
Naturally, if you’re going somewhere that requires you to be outside the entire time, it’s important to keep your skin protected from the sun’s rays. Staying under the sun without protection makes you more prone to melasma, as well as skin ageing and discolouration. You also develop the risk of skin cancer.
Dermatologists suggest sunscreens that cover both ultraviolet A and B rays. Also opt for a water-resistant product, since you’ll be sweating during the concert.
Experts stress the importance of reapplying sunscreen every two hours. Make sure to thoroughly apply the product and don’t miss easily overlooked areas like ears and the top of feet.
Hydrate and moisturise
Dry air, lack of water and sun exposure will suck the moisture out of your skin. This causes dryness, flakiness and itchiness. When your skin loses hydration, it also produces more oil.
The solution? Keep yourself hydrated. It can be inconvenient to go to the toilet during a music festival, but drinking lots of water keeps your skin in top shape. Opt for lightweight moisturisers, such as the ones by Caudalie that act as both moisturiser and sunscreen.
Pack face wipes
Since you’ll have limited or no access to a shower or sink in the festival areas, face wipes come in handy when cleaning your face from dirt and makeup. Opt for hypoallergenic wipes so they’re soft on your skin. Alternatively, you can use bottled water with cleansing cloths for a more affordable option.
Don’t forget your lips
Dry summer weather wreaks havoc on your lips, too. Dermatologists recommend using a lip balm with SFP 30 or higher to give your lips long-lasting moisture and protect them against the effects of the sun.
Protect your hair and scalp
You don’t want to get a sore scalp from staying under the sun for too long. Wear wide-brimmed hats to provide shade to your face and block the sun’s rays from reaching your scalp.
Although having fun is your priority at a music festival, this doesn’t mean you should forget about taking care of your skin. You don’t need to have a complicated skincare routine, but make sure you do more than just apply sunscreen. Once you’re equipped with skincare essentials, you can party with no worries.
